


I'm Always Here (For You)

by myheroesrbands



Series: BakodaFleetWeek 2020 [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: BakodaFleetWeek, Bakodafleetweek 2020, Dealing With Loss, Gen, M/M, Young Adults, Youth, bato sacrifices a lot for Hakoda's family, hakoda is actually drunk so !, mentions of alcohol use, they're soft with each other and just need hugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:08:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25582636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myheroesrbands/pseuds/myheroesrbands
Summary: Hakoda's father was killed in action and he had to handle the news somehow. Cue Bato being right at Hakoda's side.
Relationships: Bato & Hakoda (Avatar), Bato/Hakoda (Avatar)
Series: BakodaFleetWeek 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852546
Comments: 7
Kudos: 58
Collections: Bakoda Fleet Week 2020





	I'm Always Here (For You)

**Author's Note:**

> Hakoda is 19 and Bato is 20 ! And Hakoda's dad's name was chosen with the idea that Sokka would have been named after Hakoda's dad. Yep :)

Bato had been hearing the rumors around the village all morning. Sokkos was dead. The village chief was murdered during negotiations for an Earth Kingdom Leader. He didn’t know all the details but Bato understood one thing. 

_Hakoda’s father had been killed in action and now, at the age of 19, he was going to be forced into the position of Chief._

Bato knew that Sokkos had been training Hakoda to be Chief for years — given that Hakoda was his and Kanna’s only son, it was his duty to make sure that _someone_ knew about the politics of the Southern Water Tribe before he passed on. Bato also _understood_ that there was a certain level of fear that Hakoda and Kanna had to live with knowing that Sokkos was their chief — any day he set sail outside of their tribe, there was the possibility that he would not return. 

What hurt the most about this, was that Bato knew that Hakoda was _just_ getting the hang of shadowing Sokkos. He was actually having fun whenever his dad was going over trade routes with his generals. Hakoda had started laughing with genuine _joy_ at the thought of waking up the next morning to help his dad with fishing. Hell, whenever Bato and Hakoda would ice fish, Hakoda couldn’t shut up about his dad and how great he was at his job. 

But there was also the added weight of the fact that Sokkos had wormed his way into Bato’s heart as well. 

Bato’s family life had always been something the villagers never spoke of — his mother having been absent from the time he was a child and his father being either absent or abusive. Everyone turned a blind eye when he spent more nights out of the week at the Chief’s home. They looked away whenever they saw Bato tagging along whenever Hakoda and Sokkos went to sail. They pretended to not notice how Bato walked with Kanna throughout the day.

So, the rumors of Sokkos’s death hurt him greatly — Sokkos, like Hakoda, had been a constant variable in his life, and sure, Bato understood the casualties of war, but this one hit too close to home. For both him _and_ Hakoda. 

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to be sure if the rumors were true, so he went about his day — first fishing, then going around to check on the village children, making sure they were cared for and warm enough while some of their parents were away and then finally making his way back to Kanna and Hakoda’s home where he noticed only one light on through a hastily covered window. 

“Kanna?” he called as he entered and startled at the clanging noise that filled his ears. He suggested one of her pots slipped from her hands from where she stood in the kitchen. Rising to his full height (well past Hakoda now despite Hakoda having a few inches on him for the majority of their lives), Bato took in the sight before him — very little was _actually_ out of place, but he did notice one of the polar dog skins not hung correctly on a doorway entry. He quickly pulled the covering into its correct position, but not before catching sight of Hakoda who was hunched over a table looking as if he did not want to be bothered. 

For that, Bato settled, as much as he loved Hakoda, he was going to care for his mother first. 

“Bato. Oh hi sweetie,” came Kanna’s voice from his side where she was standing fully dressed but her hair not done in its usual bun. He moved to give her a hug and felt her sigh against his chest. “Have you heard anything yet?” She was careful to whisper before they moved back to the kitchen where they were guaranteed _more_ privacy from whatever Hakoda might hear.

“No. But, from what I’ve heard, it’s not good.” Sorrow filled his voice as he spoke and Bato wished more than anything that he could stop this family’s (and his own) pain at the mere thought of a life without Sokkos. 

Kanna sighed painfully as she slowly sat on one of the stools available to her. “I hate to think of the worst, but if it’s true, Hakoda has to step up in the next week or the tribesmen will be calling for his head.” Bato hummed the affirmative as he moved to sit across from her. 

The two of them spent a lot of time in each other’s silence, Bato only ever responding to conversation unless Kanna initiated it. It wasn’t until well after sundown, the howling of the wolves heard from a distance, when there was movement heard outside of the igloo. Bato picked up on the sound of moving snow first and in a moment was standing in the front doorway; Hakoda now having emerged from his room to stand at Bato’s side where they both found a messenger at the door in full regal gear — a sign of respect. 

Bato felt his heart drop in his chest as Hakoda grabbed the letter that was being presented to him and read from it aloud. 

“It is with the deepest sorrow I report the death of Chief Sokkos of the Southern Water Tribe,” Hakoda started, maintaining a cool persona for fear of breaking down. Bato knew this technique all too well, he’d seen it far too often on his friend and wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Hakoda’s body while he let his guard down and let his feelings out. 

“Chief Sokkos fought valiantly against Earth Kingdom traitors when he met his fate. He died protecting the honor of the Southern Water Tribe. For proper burial procedures to take place, we recognize that his body must be returned to your village as soon as possible. We are in the process of arranging that transport and you should be receiving his body in three to six days,” Hakoda rushed the last lines, not bothering to read the signed name of whoever had sent the letter. 

Bato thanked the messenger before turning to Hakoda who was now looking at him with the most haunted eyes and not for the first time since he’d known him, Bato wanted to pull Hakoda into his arms to shield him from the outside world. 

Reality, unfortunately, didn’t work that way. 

“I’ll take care of Kanna. You go to my place. You know the spot,” he spoke lowly to Hakoda who simply nodded, the letter now forgotten on the floor as he moved, seemingly out of necessity rather than desire, to gather his overcoat and his boots. Bato sighed to himself before squaring his shoulders and moving to care for Kanna. 

It took no more than an hour but after a long talk and a hot cup of cocoa, Kanna was tucked into bed for a fitful nights’ sleep. Bato, feeling like he’d probably sighed himself all out, sighed again and went to grab his overcoat and boots. The only state he expected to find Hakoda in was not a good one. 

Bato sometimes felt like he indulged Hakoda too much — he rarely scolded the man when he steered them off course when sailing, he rarely called Hakoda out when he was about to make a rash decision, and he never found it in his heart to stop Hakoda from raiding his spirit cabinet. 

Making his way inside his front door was a struggle — the snow from outside practically forcing him and another three inches of snow into his entryway. He groaned before beginning to remove the layers of clothes from his body. It was freezing, both outside _and_ inside. 

He couldn’t have that. 

Bato moved to his kitchen to prepare a hot drink and then moved to light several candles he had set up and a fire sitting in the fireplace in his living room. He made sure the windows would keep out as much cold air (and snow) as possible before grabbing his drink and making his way to his room.

Where he knew he’d find Hakoda. 

Hakoda was a mess, to put it simply. He’d clearly been drinking, two bottles sitting at the foot of Bato’s bed. He’d also clearly been crying — his cheeks puffed and stained with dry tears. He was lying, face up, on the bed when Bato walked into the room. 

Cracking open one eye, Hakoda’s mouth drew into a lopsided grin before he sat up (fairly quickly judging by the way he reached for his head) and made grabby hands for Bato. “C’mon. Don’ wanna think about dad,” he slurred and Bato sighed before pushing the warm drink into Hakoda’s hands. 

“You were here in the freezing cold, Koda. You can’t torture yourself like this,” Bato mumbled and started running his hands through Hakoda’s knotted hair as Hakoda curled into his side when he sat on the bed. 

“He’s gone, Bato,” Hakoda growled out. “This is quite literally my last night of freedom and if this is the only way I can enjoy it, then so be it.” His voice never wavered and Bato briefly considered the possibility that Hakoda hadn’t touched the drinks in the room. Shaking away that thought, Bato moved to sit cross-legged on the bed, facing Hakoda. 

“Look at me,” he started. Hakoda’s body was still facing away from Bato’s but Hakoda turned his head to look at the taller man and Bato felt a pang in his chest at how red his eyes were. 

“I know you miss him. It’s _okay_ to miss him. But please don’t,” he paused, swallowing over what he was going to say next. He prayed it wouldn’t come out as needy, but pushed forth anyway. “Don’t lock yourself away from me Hakoda. We need each other through this,” he finalized, his hands fiddling in his lap where he’d now decided to focus his vision. 

Bato only flinched slightly when one of Hakoda’s hands came to cover his, the warm drink Bato had brought up now forgotten on the floor.

“I know,” he cleared his throat. Bato raised his head to look him in the eye. “I know he’d want me to be the best,” he burped and Bato smiled in spite of himself. 

“The best version of him I can be. But I don’t,” Hakoda paused for a long moment this time. Looking somewhere only he could see. A memory only he knew playing in the back of his mind.

“I don’t know if I can do it,” he finished, and at that, Bato pulled him into his arms. A new wave of tears came pooling from Hakoda’s eyes and Bato let his own eyes close as he rocked the two of them side by side. 

Hakoda was _too young_ to be experiencing this much pain. He didn’t deserve this. 

Bato didn’t know what he would be able to do to help cure, but he would do whatever it took to make sure Hakoda wasn’t in this state of constant need to numb the pain forever. 

“What can I do?” he whispered. Hakoda heaved against his chest in a way that he’d never done before, and Bato’s heart skipped a single beat to show his concern before going back to normal. 

Hakoda hiccuped before softly replying, “Stay with me?” and that was enough for Bato’s heart to break into a million pieces. 

Pressing a kiss to Hakoda’s hair, Bato hummed in response. “Do you want to hear about my day?” 

_Do you want to hear about my day_ was something Hakoda started when they were 12 and 13. Bato had been especially bruised one day and didn’t feel like speaking so Hakoda asked, “Do you want to hear about my day?” and when Bato questionably responded an affirmative, he started ranting about not only his day, but stories he’d been told, stories he hoped to tell, and things he hoped for the future. 

Of course, every time he asked, Hakoda changed his answer, showing just how much he’d matured over the years, but it was never _Bato_ asking the question. 

From beneath him, Bato felt Hakoda’s nod of approval before he began to delve into what he had done that day. If Bato was talking for way more than he usually did, Hakoda never said a word — too caught up in the sound of Bato’s voice and how he was able to fluctuate it to portray certain emotions. 

He’d never heard Bato discuss himself this much. Bato usually _refrained_ from talking about himself but now, Hakoda realized through his drunken haze that he really liked the way Bato talked. 

_Oh,_ he thought to himself. _And the way his lips move too._

They were sitting on the bed now, backs to the headboard with Hakoda’s head lazily falling onto Bato’s shoulder before he suddenly jolted up and turned to face Bato.

“Would it be weird if I wanted to kiss you right now?” Hakoda asked and Bato, already in shock from Hakoda’s sudden movement, felt his eyes grow even wider in size. 

He spoke hastily when he said, “This is the wine talking Koda. You.. You don’t want to do that.” He was moving from his position on the bed and Hakoda groaned softly before grabbing Bato’s wrist, stopping the taller man from moving too far out of the room. 

“What I want, Bato? Right this second, is to kiss you,” he tried to seem smooth about it but, as Bato had learned was a commonality with Hakoda, he utterly failed. Hakoda couldn’t wink to save his life, and his left arm, for some strange reason, found itself resting behind his head. 

Bato shook his head. “No.” Was his firm response, and Hakoda groaned again. 

“I’m too drunk to think of a pun but you saying no to me is like, not possible. Every girl in our village wants me Bato. And right now, I only want you.” His voice was low and Bato really _really_ did not want to think about what Hakoda was actually thinking would happen between the two of them. 

Bato felt his heart pounding in his chest and in an attempt to ignore its loud beating in his ears, let out a sharp breath. “One?” He asked softly, making eye contact with Hakoda and found that if he stared too long he’d get lost in the blue orbs. 

“One,” Hakoda grinned before standing in front of Bato. Hakoda was clearly heavy on his feet as he swayed from side to side but Bato’s hands came to rest on his hips, steadying him.

“One,” Bato repeated sternly and only helplessly watched as Hakoda smirked before reaching forward to press their lips together. 

Okay so maybe there wasn’t just _one_ kiss shared between them, but Bato made sure that nothing got _too_ heated between the two of them. After ten minutes of Hakoda still trying to nibble at Bato’s bottom lip, Bato breathed to recenter himself from where he was sitting back on the bed. From beside him, Bato could feel the cocky energy radiating off of Hakoda and wanted nothing more than to slap the other man. 

So he did. 

“Hey!” Hakoda said as he laughed and then proceeded to fall into a laughing fit on the bed. Rolling his eyes at the other man, Bato moved the two of them to be under the pelts they used for warmth. Hakoda positioned himself into his usual spot, his head resting between Bato’s neck and shoulder and his arms wrapped around Bato’s middle, meeting at his back. 

“Hey,” Bato’s voice rumbled against Hakoda’s head. “I’m always here for you. You know that right?” Hakoda’s hum in response told Bato all he needed to know. 

Hopefully, this night would be forgotten on Hakoda, and Bato smiled at the thought of having the memory of this night all to himself. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi ! OMG FleetWeek has been going so good so far I hope that the same could be said for you all! I hope you all enjoyed this! And I _may_ have a part two to this in the works.


End file.
